Sept. 6 :The Prices Here Are Great

There is a massage parlor behind our hotel, so three of us went to check it out last night. Of course, we'd heard great things from other classmates who already went. I'm not going to random massage parlors (don't worry, Mom). I got a 1.5 hour shoulder and foot massage for 68 RMB, which is about $10 US. What a deal! The guy found all the knots in my shoulders and back. The foot massage was heavenly and he even hit pressure points that gave me chills. The only downside is the bruises on my calves now from the extreme pressure he used. It was intense. More people are going over there today. I thought about going again, but I don't need more bruises.
Before the flight, I plan on doing a little more shopping at the market. I don't care if its not super quality. Its so cheap, the stuff can basically be disposable. I am so excited to be coming home; however, I'm not looking forward to the 16 hour plane ride. I just hope the plane is half full so I can sprawl out in a couple seats.

Sept 5th- Summing up this experience.

Me how mau? (in English: “how are you?”) Yesterday evening, the whole group got together for a final “lessons learned” exercise with both classes (55 students). We talked about what we learned about China's politics, religion, social practices, culture, etc. There were many things observed – language barriers, business practices, impact of the government on daily life (ie: censorship), family values, customer service focus, etc. We also talked about how we might apply this new knowledge to our professional and personal lives. During this trip, many students have made assumptions and generalizations about China and its people. We think because we are Americans that we do things better and that China should learn from us. But the opposite is true as well. We can learn from their relationship focus in business. We can learn from their minimization of red tape and regulation as a way to get things accomplished more quickly. We can also learn from their continuous quest to please the customer and manage that relationship as a dynamic ongoing commitment to exceeding expectations. This country cannot be counted out. They are a potential partner, a potential competitor, and a potential resource in any business. China is considered the greatest emerging economy for a reason, and as professionals and individuals, it deserves our respect.

If I've learned anything on this trip, its that casting judgment is for fools. We often approach situations with preconceptions that are completely false. Its natural for humans to approach future situations in the frame of past experience. We look at the rest of the world through American goggles and feel the US way is the only way. Unfortunately, we're wildly ignorant and juvenile in our assumptions. Reading three novels and visiting China for two weeks is a mere scratch on the surface of knowledge for me. I've lived in America for 31 years, and now I question whether I truly know my own country.

That's probably more reflection than you care to swallow, so now I'll tell you about the market, AKA bizarre. It's a tourist heaven and all prices are negotiable... which means, cheap. Though, it may also mean the quality is cheap. I got lots of souvenirs to bring back to my family and friends... plus, a few things for me. Ironically, most of the things you own were probably made in China, but now you'll have items that traveled from China in my suitcase. These pics are a few snapshots of the open market.

My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon and I'll have a 16 hour ride back to the states. I might write again in the morning if this evening's adventures produce any fun tidbits to share. Stay tuned.

China is so different and yet still so similar: Sept 3 & 4

Our tour guides tell us that there are several million people in Shanghai, and that China contains the majority of the most populated cities in the world. What's strange about that statistic is that Shanghai (the “city”) is bigger than a state in the US. No wonder there's millions here. The subway system is packed with people; the streets are packed with people. Its insane. Plus, there are high rise apartment buildings everywhere that look similar to the old B'more high rise projects... you know, the ones they tore down a few years back because they were “inhumane living conditions.”

On Sept 3, we visited Abbott Labs. The conversation included a quick glimpse into the Chinese healthcare system. What a mess! Yes, the healthcare system is socialized, but each individual has a lifetime cap on what the government will pay for their health care. In other words, if you have a chronic disease, you're done. Once you hit your cap for care, everything else is out of pocket. We learned about a hospital that sees 16,000 outpatients per day (like an ER). There are no real primary care physicians. Doctors don't really have specialities, and they have tiers for hospitals. Patients want to go to the highest tier hospital, which is why the popular hospital in Beijing sees 16,000 patients a day (that's about as many as a community hospital's ER in one year). Inpatients at one time, were thousands of beds... a far cry from our 200-300 bed hospitals in Baltimore.

This morning, we visited Dow. It was the most amazing building I've been in. The gymnasium had a full basketball court and spinning room. There was a full wing for education. We were addressed by a panel of senior leaders who talked international business strategy and customer oriented market growth. It was truly refreshing in comparison to the surface level talks we've experienced at other sites.

Lunch was in a revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. Next, I am off to a debrief on the trip with the rest of the class. I am in desperate need of a cup of coffee. Hope to see you soon : )

Emersion in Chinese business: 9-02-09

It’s no longer the cultural differences in China that amaze me; that's just scratching the surface. The restrooms may be holes in the floor, they may eat meals from a lazy susan with 10 different food options, they may focus on relationships with people, they may live with their parents their whole lives. That's just scratching the surface. In China, if you want to fix up your house, you cannot get a loan. Banks don't loan money; Chinese people don't have credit. There are no credit cards, no mortgages, no home equity loans, etc. If Chinese people want to do something that costs money, they save. In fact, the savings rate for Chinese people is 40%. This is just a complete shift from the lifestyle we live as Americans.

Regulations depend on who you know in the government. The laws may be strict, depending on the issue. For instance, healthcare regulations are strict. However, there is construction everywhere and the scaffolding is made of bamboo shoots held together with clothe straps. There are many many buildings that would be demolished in the US for safety violations.

Today, we visited the McCormick spice factory. We had to wear face masks, lab coats and a hair net. The dust from the spices caused many of us to cough and gag, but the workers were indifferent. We saw spices being sorted, packaged, labeled and bottled. It was a clean facility and was certainly not what some would call a “sweat shop.” The floors were lined with mouse traps. Good I guess... at least they're working to keep them away from the spices, right? Outside, the streets were full of garbage. This was the first day that I feel we really got a clear view of some reality of Chinese living. On previous days, we've only been exposed to the lifestyle of the Chinese rich or upper middle class.

Next, we went to Price Waterhousecoopers. A female partner shared her experience working in China and the US. It was great to hear from a female Chinese national. She was very proud that 27% of PWC's execs in China are female. This is about 10% lower in the US. She talked a little about how China's appreciation and respect for women has changed significantly with the acceptance of more “Western” societal practices. Certainly though, she admitted that families in the rural part of the nation still prefer to have sons.

We were so desperate for Western food tonight that we went to a fancy Italian restaurant in a European influenced part of town. I am so blessed to be an American. This experience has made me truly thankful for all the choices we have.

Moving from Beijing to Shanghai is a welcome change

Steven Wang from Aon consulting visited us at the hotel today and then a second speaker from RIM. I learned about financial choices, insurance opportunities and savings practices in China. The Chinese people save about 40% of their income (compared to 0 average in the US because of our tendency to carry debt). In banks, their money accrues almost no interest. Chinese generally use cash for large purchases, so there are not a lot of mortgage or lending options.
The afternoon speakers cancelled on us, so we had the rest of the day free. Yay! Me and my team went to the US embassy to get a photo. It was a requirement for the scavenger hunt that the faculty asked us to do. For lunch, we were all hurting for some type of Western food. We're just a little sick of the lazy susans full of meat & veggie dishes with sauce and rice... and also (what I call) water soup that tastes like nothing. At any rate, we found a sizzler and it was great; second rate food in the US was a delicacy and oasis for us. Not that the Chinese food is bad, we just have so many more style choices in the US.
Speaking of the food, the guys showed me a back alley market today. This photo is a picture of some popular chinese snacks – scorpions and sea horses on a stick. Yum, crunchy. The scorpions were still wiggling. I don't know whether they eat them raw or if the shop owner cooks them fresh. Regardless, I'm not trying it.
We were due back at the hotel by 4pm so that we could catch the bus to the airport. The flight to Shanghai was about two hours, so we got here around 9pm. Its much more modern here than Beijing. The buildings are lit with advertisements like NY city. We're staying at a Radisson and its so much nicer staying at a Western chain.
I'm not sure whether I've shared this yet, but blogspot.com is blocked in China, so I've been relying on Jeff to post blog updates for me (thanks Jeff). The government is concerned about the population's access to information, so certainly they fear blogs. A number of popular networking and other informational sites are blocked. There's also significant control on what's published and broadcast by the news media. All fascinating things I've learned about life inside a communist government. Stay tuned for more on Shanghai when I get to see it in the light.

8/31/09- Back to School- Boo

At 8am this morning, we heard a lecture from the commerce department at the US embassy. It was interesting and informative. It certainly helped put things into perspective related to the businesses we're learning about. In the afternoon, we visited the Beijing Center, which is a type of international exchange school that's affiliated with Loyola. I ate pizza for dinner and I think it was the best pizza I've even eaten. Or, maybe I'm just sick of chinese. Probably the latter.

Beijing- 8/30/2009- Great Wall, Tianan'men Square and the Forbidden City

The Great Wall of China is so much more than great. Its the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Me and the three guys on my team hiked as far as we could. I'm guessing about thStree miles. It was tough and some of it was straight up. To get back down, we paid to ride bob sleds. It was a blast.

Stinking and sweaty, we went to a silk factory and learned how they make ugly bug cacoons into beautiful sheets and clothing. It was so tempting not to buy anything, but it was really expensive. In the apparel section, I tried on lots of clothes though because all the guys wanted to buy gifts for their wives. Size was hard to determine because Chinese women are so much smaller than american women. I was a large, so that helped my teammates know what size to buy for their wives. I ended the night with a Thai food dinner at the mall, which was madness.


Tianan'men square and the Forbidden City
Today we went to Tianan'men Square and to the Forbidden City. It was within walking distance from the hotel. Tiananmen square is very important to the communist party movement. People from all other China come to see it. Many of the people have never seen “foreigners” as they like to call us. Many people stared at me; some even asked if they could take a photo with me, or they just walked by and snapped one. It was strange. There's an African guy in my class who has a very dark complexion and and 6'7" guy. They received a ton of attention as well. It was funny. The Forbidden City (previous home to Chinese royalty) was very reflective of what you would expect in Chinese architecture. Everything was red and yellow/gold to reflect the royal stature. I have great photos to share later.

Next, we went riding through a little town in pedicabs two-by-two. It was neat to see where people live. Chinese families live in what I'd call a compound. Its three or four houses with a open-air courtyard in the middle and one single entrance. Its usually lived in by several generations of the same family, or as was the case today, by three brothers and their families.
In the evening, we went to a kung fu show. It was very beautiful with amazing colors, music and talented artists. Unfortunately, I am beat. I'm running on just 5 hours of sleep. So, you know I was doing a little nodding off during the slow parts. I felt badly, but I just can't help it. That's why I'm in early tonight.

Last Day in Hong Kong- 8/28/2009

Just when I thought I was accustomed to the 12 hour time difference, I woke up at 3am this morning and could not get back to sleep. Luckily, my roommate Jen was suffering from the same so we woke up chatted, and ate snacks. At 5:30am we headed downstairs to meet the rest of the group, then hopped in a cab, then on a subway, then on a plane to Beijing. I was reading a travel magazine and it sounds like we're going to get a much bigger taste of Chinese culture in Beijing. I can't wait. I just hope I don't accidentally order freeze dried insects for dinner.

Hong Kong- 8/27/2009

Thursday was another long day with a lot of walking. We met in the lobby at 10am to give ourselves more time to sleep in. Some folks still aren't accustomed to the new time zone, but the long days are wearing me out enough that I can sleep. We decided to try brunch at a dim sum restaurant. When we walked in, my 6'9” friend Ira lead the way. Needless to say, we got a lot of stares. Plus, we were the only white folks there, which is surprising because Hong Kong has been very culturally diverse. We sat down at a table for eight. After about 20 minutes waiting, we decided to flag down a waiter. In HK, they don't just walk up and ask you what you want like in the US. You have to flag them down and request everything, but its not bad because there's always a lot of people standing around and waiting to help you. We checked random boxes on the menu and hoped for the best. The food turned out to be quite tasty. NOTHING like Chinese food in the states. It was so much better. I'm getting really good at using chop sticks.

After the dim sum, we went to the top of Victoria Peak. Its a mountain top in HK that overlooks the whole city. It was amazingly beautiful. We overlooked tall sky scrapers that were surrounded by waterways with ferries and fisherman. The city line is encapsulated by gorgeous green mountain ranges. The photos don't do it justice. The sky was always a bit overcast, so fog kept you from seeing mountains in the distance. I did a bit of shopping on the peak because there were a lot of shops with cute stuff. So much stuff that I had to ship it home.

Next, we went to Kowloon. I decided to get a custom tailored suit, so today was my last fitting. I shipped that home too. We walked around in Kowloon for a while and found a Peking place for dinner. Dinner was also excellent. I'm a big fan of peking duck and the pork dumplings. We ended the night with a ferry ride along the bay. The light show on the buildings was like something in Las Vegas. Its in bed by 10pm for me tonight.

Tomorrow morning we're up at 4:30am so we can get to the airport in time to catch our flight to Beijing. Stay tuned ; )

Finally, some photos

This first pictures is off the waterways surrounding Hong Kong. We took a ferry just because it was prettier than the subway.

Then, we went and got sized for hand crafted suits. That was cool. Next it was off to the world's largest Buddha. This was the most beautiful mountain top I've even been on. It was amazing and I didn't want to come down.

At the Buddha, we ate what was called Ramen noodles, but they were much much better than the freeze dried stuff they pass off as Ramen in the states. At around 6pm we went to the open market. That was overwhelming and it first we were all kind of dumfounded. I don't think I've seen that many people in one place at a time.

Gotta run. I don't want to be late for my first dim sum breakfast. This will be a far cry from my normal omelette, but I am glad to jump outside the comfort zone. All this new stuff has been really cool. Stay tuned.

Hong Kong is awesome

It's been a long long day. I was up and out at 9am. We went to the tailor and several of my friends decided to purchase hand tailored suit. They talked me into doing the same. It was a great price, and its about the same as I'd pay at Anne Taylor, so why not get a suit especially made for me? Next, we went to Lantau Island, home of the world's largest Buddha. The Buddha and all the statues were super cool, but the most amazing part was the overlook. Islands in the water looked as beautiful as those in the Caribean. The water was bright blue and the islands were healthy green. A light fog fell over the mountains like a tender white blanket blowing up and down with every surge of breeze.

I'll be posting photos in the morning (night for you). Right now I'm writing because I still have not conditioned myself to the time difference. Today was a long day with lots of walking, but somehow, I'm not tired. Perhaps its my excitement over this new exciting place. I almost forgot to mention the open market. It was overwhelming. I've never seen so many people in one place. But, Jeff has taught me to be a super bargainer, so I got a few good deals on merchandise. Very fun!

Pics coming in the morning (am for me, pm for you). Stay tuned!

Arrived in Hong Kong

I arrived in Hong Kong at 8pm on Tuesday (HK time). The flight was 16 hours, but it wasn't too bad because no one was sitting next to me. Immigration and customs was easy. They just stamped my Passport, and I proceeded to baggage. We took a subway from the airport to downtown Hong Kong. I cannot wait to ride the subway in the daytime. The buildings look amazing at night with all their lights, and it looked like we were riding beside various waterways. Speaking of the buildings, they are huge and so different, amazingly modern. My friends say it reminds them of the buildings in New York City.

We arrived at the hotel at 11pm. In HK, most everyone speaks both mandarin and English, which makes for an easier transition out of the states. Probably won't be the case in Beijing and Shanghai.

Sorry no photos yet, but its night time. Tomorrow we're off to Lantau Island, home of the world's biggest Buddha, so those pictures should be cool. Stay tuned ; )

Will I ever be ready?

I am trying hard to get everything packed today, and my "to-do" list is so long. At some point, I'm just going to have to say, "that's it; I'm done" and wish for the best. I leave tomorrow around noon and will be flying all through the night. My next post probably won't be until Tuesday morning (your time); it'll be the evening in Hong Kong (12 hour time difference).